Monday, March 31, 2014

This is my tenth
installment in the series of blogs about why people care, or should care, about
long-range transportation planning in general and Communities in Motion in particular.

But, before I get to
this quarter’s list, I want to remind you that the draft Communities in Motion 2040
plan is open for public comment through Sunday, April 27, 2014. Please show
you care by taking a few minutes to
review the materials and submit your comments. Learn more at www.compassidaho.org/prodserv/cim2040.htm#PublicParticipation.

Below is the latest list
of why people care about Communities in
Motion 2040, as submitted by you:

Where
would we be if we didn’t do this? COMPASS is a leadership/planning group that
does a lot of good.

Transportation
is taken for granted – it’s there because people before us cared, so we should
care now for the next generation.

Transportation
influences the economy, quality of life, and how communities look.

It’s
all about the money…

Transportation
supports population and economic growth.

We
need to anticipate future needs – we need to make the best use of future scarce
resources.

Transportation
is a driving force behind the economy and quality of life.

We need to plan
so people can keep living here.

To share why you think Communities in Motion 2040 is important
and why people should get involved ― why
you care ― email aluft@compassidaho.org and we’ll post your ideas here. We
only have two installments left – contribute now to make sure your ideas make
the list!

Monday, March 10, 2014

In November 2011 I wrote
my first blog about Communities in Motion
2040. Since then, I’ve blogged about
the youth art and video contests, Communities
in Motion 2040 Vision, “Your Treasure Valley Future” photo challenge, why
you should care about long-range planning, and more…all related to Communities in Motion 2040.

After more than two
years of blogging about the progress of the plan and ways for you to be involved,
the finish line is in sight. The full draft of Communities in Motion 2040 is open for public comment – YOUR
comment – through Sunday, April 27,
2014.

Please take a few minutes
to review the draft plan, then submit your comments. Pay particular attention
to these issues:

The plan
includes 17 goals addressing eight planning elements. Do you agree with these
overall goals?

The
transportation needs outlined in the plan are based on future growth as
depicted in the Communities in Motion
2040 Vision. Do you agree with this overall vision for the future of the
valley?

The goals and
Communities in Motion 2040 Vision have
little meaning if we can’t tell if we are making progress toward meeting them.
COMPASS has developed performance measures to track progress. Do you agree with
the performance measures that were chosen? How do you think COMPASS should use
those measures?

Financial
projections indicate that there will not be enough revenue in the future to
maintain our current transportation system, much less expand it to meet a
growing population. Therefore, the COMPASS Board of Directors has chosen to
focus all federal transportation funding allocated via Communities in Motion 2040 toward
maintenance. Do you agree with this decision?

We need to
know what our future priorities are to be ready should additional funding
become available. The plan lists 33 prioritized transportation priorities and
corridors based on needs to keep up with forecasted growth. Do you agree with
this list?

After the public comment
period ends on Sunday, April 27, 2014,
we’ll provide all of your comments to the Communities
in Motion 2040 Planning and Leadership Teams and the COMPASS Board. They
will consider your comments and address any necessary changes before
considering the plan for adoption.

The Board is expected to
adopt the plan in July. Thank you for your hard work and patience as we’ve
moved through this process, and for helping us to be ready for the big finish.

Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho

COMPASS is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization responsible for transportation planning in Ada and Canyon Counties. The COMPASS Board comprises 39 members representing the cities, counties, highway districts, educational institutions, state agencies, and other entities within the two counties. COMPASS plays an important role in making decisions about future long-range transportation needs in the Treasure Valley, taking into consideration environmental and economic factors that affect the quality of life.

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Matt Stoll, Executive Director

Matt Stoll has been the Executive Director of the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) since 2004. Under Matt’s direction, COMPASS has focused on developing and retaining collaborative and cooperative partnerships with local, state, and federal planning agencies and with Treasure Valley communities.

Matt has a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography from the State Univer­sity of New York and a Master of Arts degree in geography from Arizona State University. He is married with two daughters and is active in the Treasure Valley com­munity through his involvement in volunteer and non-profit organizations.

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